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Annette Vooss

Virginia Beach—Annette Vooss, 83, passed away on December 30, 2020. Annette was born in the Bronx, New York to the late Benny and Rose Hartman on October 27, 1937. Annette was very devoted to family traditions and food. She always loved a good joke and truly loved her...

Frank Andrew Zelenka

Knoxville, Tenn.—Frank Andrew Zelenka, age 83, of Oliver Spring, passed away on Monday, January 4, 2021 at the Parkwest Hospital in Knoxville, Tenn. He was born in New York to the late Frank Andrew and Evelyn Zitek Zelenka on September 16, 1937. Frank was a member of...

Sheldon Adelson, megadonor to Israel and Republicans

(JTA)—Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino magnate whose philanthropy had an unparalleled influence on American and Israeli politics and Jewish causes, has died at 87. One of the world’s richest people and a megadonor who set records for his political giving to...

Gerald Pributsky

Virginia Beach—Gerald Pributsky, 94, of Virginia Beach, passed away peacefully on November 25, 2020, at his home after a long illness. Born May 9, 1926 in Fall River, Massachusetts, he was the only son in a family with three sisters. He is predeceased by his parents...

Sheila Elkins Silverstein Emanuel

Norfolk—Sheila Elkins Silverstein Emanuel passed away on November 23, 2020, at the age of 81. She was the daughter of Robert and Iris Elkins. Sheila was born and raised in New York and relocated to Richmond in 1969 where she lived until she moved to Norfolk 30 years...

Cynthia Mae Strom

Virginia Beach—Cynthia Mae Strom passed away on November 23, 2020 after testing positive for COVID-19 on November 14, 2020. She was rushed to Virginia Beach General ER on Friday, November 20 and battled throughout the weekend. Cindy loved her family, she loved taking...

Lucille ‘Lucy’ E. Livingston

Norfolk —Lucille ‘Lucy’ E. Livingston, 79, of Norfolk, Va., passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. Born in Hagerstown, Md., she was the daughter of the late John and Edna Shilling. She was predeceased by sisters Peggy Fritz, Ann Hose, and Betty Perrin, and brothers...

Robert D. Klein

November 18, 2013. Beloved husband of Harriet (nee Silverman); loving father of Susan (Eric) Klein Schwartzman, Debra (David) Klein Brownstein and Harriet’s daughter, Beth (Yury) Korenberg; adored grandfather of Mark Schwartzman, Marisa Kendall, and Rebecca...

Henry Calvin Galumbeck

Virginia Beach, Va.—Henry Calvin Galumbeck passed away Nov. 23, 2013. Henry was born in Norfolk, Va., on Jul. 24, 1920. For 93 years, he made people feel better about themselves with a kind word, a pat on the back, or just a warm smile. Throughout his life, he built...

Shirlee Jelaza Cohen

Norfolk —Shirlee Jelaza Cohen, a life long resident of Norfok, Va. passed away in Boca Raton, Fla. on Thursday, Nov. 28 at the age of 91. She was born in Norfolk on May 2, 1922 to the late Samuel and Ida Jelaza. She was the beloved and cherished wife of the late...

Haley Haverson for becoming a member of The National Society of High School Scholars. The Society recognizes students who demonstrate outstanding leadership, scholarship and community commitment. The announcement was made by NSHSS founder and chairman, Claes Nobel, a...

Tidewater Jewish community Jewish genetic screening

Sponsored by Jewish Family Service Sunday, Dec. 15, 10 am–3 pm, Simon Family JCC Anyone who is Ashkenazi or has Ashkenazi heritage is recommended for genetic screening. In addition, it is recommended that those with an Ashkenazi partner get screened, because it is...

Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Roz

Thursday, Jan. 9, 12 pm Join Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg for Lunch and Learn with the topic, “Fall Out from the Pew Study on American Judaism: What We Learn, What We Can Do.” Bring a lunch, an open mind, a sense of humor, and any interested friends. RSVPs to...

Israel Today Forum presents Ishmael Khaldi

Thursday, Dec. 12, 7 pm The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, in partnership with area synagogues, agencies, organizations, businesses and community members, will feature Ishmael Khaldi as the first speaker in its 2013–2014...

Film advisory committee freshens up festival

As the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by Alma* and Howard Laderberg, celebrates its 21st anniversary, it continues to expand its presence and breadth, becoming one of the longest running festivals of its kind in the country. To bring new ideas and...

Holocaust meets Hollywood: Premiere of The Book Thief

I was honored to receive an invitation last month to the premiere of the film adaptation of Markus Zuzak’s award winning novel, The Book Thief, at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. There would be a panel after the film including the author, director, and...

BINA’s royal evening

The girls of BINA High School presented “An Evening of Royalty” at Bnai Israel Congregation on Sunday, Nov. 17. The program, coordinated and directed by Chayale Lefkowitz, focused on the meaning of God’s kingship and what it means to be a subject in His kingdom. More...

HAT and Strelitz celebrate national “Mix it up Day”

On October 29, Hebrew Academy of Tidewater and Strelitz students joined more than one million other students across the country by participating in the 12th annual Mix It Up at Lunch Day. Launched by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance project in...

JCPA and CRC offer educational do-over in Poland and Israel

I just experienced an educational do-over. In my younger years, I was lucky enough to receive a first-rate college education in Ann Arbor, Michigan and travel to Israel on a Federation-sponsored tour in my late 20s. Thus, I had studied Jewish and Israeli history, and...

Israel: Jewish and Democratic

Martin J. Raffel is the senior vice president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), where he has served as the lead professional on Israel, world Jewry and international human rights for the past 26 years. He also holds the position of project director for...

Interim deal on Iran splits Congress on new sanctions bill

WASHINGTON (JTA)—They want to brandish a new stick against Iran, but hawks in Congress aren’t going to use it—yet. For all the disappointment they expressed following the deal on Iran’s nuclear program, skeptics in Congress appear to be willing to give the agreement...

Vaera and Bo — Sanctify freedom

The two consecutive Parshiyot in the Book of Exodus (Sefer Shemot) of Vaera and Bo serve as the most dramatic setting for a contest between two contenders for the divine title. Moses represents the unseen God of Freedom of the enslaved Israelites. In opposition stands...

Favorite Chanukah or Thanksgiving traditions

A large and emotional gathering at Thanksgiving David Abraham Every Thanksgiving, we travel to Indianapolis to be with my side of the family. This has been a long-standing tradition that my family loves to do. We have a tremendous amount of fun and camaraderie. I am...

Every day is Thanksgiving when we recite 100 blessings

Memories of Beth El and Thanksgiving A native of Norfolk , Shulamith Elster is the daughter of the late Rabbi and Mrs. Paul Reich (Congregation Beth El, 1935 to 1967). She writes occasionally for the Washington Jewish Week reflecting on her 50 years in the Washington...

Armada of fans show up to support Hal’s Navy

Like sailors rallying around their captain or destroyers protecting their carrier group, the audience that came to hear Hal Sacks speak about his memoir, Hal’s Navy, on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the Simon Family JCC, showed up in full support of the newly published author....